Do you know how many other patients have got access to their GP electronic health records at Haughton Thornley Medical Centres?

The following table shows figures correct on 20th January 2019showing how many patients have access to their records according to medication they are on or what condition they suffer with.

Patients with Prediabetes

519/753

68%

Patients with Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2)

631/898

70%

Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

59/67

88%

Patents with Ischaemic Heart Disease

309/477

64%

Patients with Heart Failure

56/103

54%

Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

146/249

58%

Patients with Obesity

395/467

84%

Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

55/73

75%

Patients with Asthma

1435/1920

74%

Patients with Low Back Pain

2528/3344

75%

Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

278/453

61%

Patients with Depression / Anxiety with Depression

2845/3796

74%

Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

19/32

59%

Patients with Cancer confirmed

258/382

67%

Patients with Is a Carer

220/276

79%

Patients with a Deep Venous Thrombosis

99/156

63%

Patients with a Pulmonary Embolus

52/83

62%

Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

199/379

52%

Patients on anti-coagulation therapy ie warfarin, sin-throne

24/54

44%

Patients on Thyroxine

376/524

71%

Patients on Methotrexate

20/25

80%

Patients on Cyclosporin (immunosuppressant)

0/0

0%

Patients who were Pregnant from 10 months ago

95/99

95%

Patients on Learning Disability register

32/68

47%

Patients who have ever had a URTI or viral infection

5193/7089

73%

Bengali patients with access to their records

1233/1534

80%

Patients on gold standards palliative care framework

58/109

53%

Current patients who have ever Ordered Prescriptions Online

2427/12607

19%

Patients at Haughton Vale Surgery

3421/5648

60%

Patients at Thornley House Medical Centre

5140/6926

74%

Number of patients with access to their GP electronic health records

8579/12607

68%

How are we doing with enabling patients to access their GP electronic health record?

We have enabled patients to access their GP electronic health record for the past 14 years and now have over 8,500 patients who have requested access to their records on-line. Many more patients are also ordering repeat prescriptions on-line, booking appointments and cancelling appointments on-line (which gives somebody else the opportunity to take that appontment instead easily)!

In an attempt to try to understand better the needs of patients who have access to their GP electronic health record, we created a local "EMIS code” such that the system clearly states that this patient has access to their records. We have called it "Patient Access to E-Health Record” or "Patient Remote Record Access Enabled". This should be in the Active or Significant Problems in date order list on the Summary Page when patients first log on to see their records (you may well have to scroll down the page to see it). You can see an example of what it looks like by looking at the Test Patient’s record too.

Why code the fact that the patient has access to their electronic health record?

All patients get the same standard of care from the practice whether they have access to their records or not. However there are some specific advantages to patients who have this code added:

We know that you have access and so may ask you questions about if and how having access has helped you in any way when away from the practice

Clinicians may be more inclined to write in your records advice which may help you to manage your condition better eg websites that they may want you to look at to support your care or treatment

Clinicians may write further details about why we have chosen a particular course of action which makes more sense to you. For example we may see a test result and advise you to start certain medication. There may be a further explanatory note which explains why that medication has been started. Of course if it is necessary then we would ALWAYS contact you by phone or letter and not assume that you will pick up a message that is in your record.

It is hoped that patients with this code would also be invited to access other electronic health records once they are also made available for you to see. That is why the code says e-health and not just the GP record.

Presently we have over 8,500 patients who have this code.

Occasionally patients may lose the right to access their electronic health records for instance if they suffer a catastrophic mental health problem and it is deemed unsafe for the patient to access their records. This would be done in the patient’s best interests. An easy way of knowing if the access has been revoked would be to see if the code is still active or whether it has been removed.

So how are we doing ?

We are pleased to report that we have over 8,500 patients with the code confirming they are able to access their records with no significant problems to date. The numbers of patients are going up weekly as more and more questionnaires are filled out and handed back. Every age band now has at least one patient who has access indicating that Records Access is for everybody. You might know somebody who does. Why don’t you ask them to get in touch with the practice to find out more, click on the link below for them to print off or ideally ask them to e-mail us on htmcpatient@nhs.net to find out more.

If you have enjoyed access to your electronic health records then why don’t you ask the rest of your family, friends, colleagues and work friends to get access too. You never know, it could help them one day too.

Ask them to complete an online questionnaire now. They will need to collect their pin numbers from the receptionist too.

What about patients who do not know how to use the internet? Is there any help for them?

There are courses available in the local library and people in the community centres locally who can show them how to go on-line, access their records and learn more about their own health. Members of our Patient Participation Group and our staff would also be happy to help.

What do we want patients to do with Records Access?

Hard to say really because you are individual and you will know why you want access to your records. We know that patients access their records have a better understanding of their own health and are "ahead of the game”.They know what is in their records and find it easy to see any recent letters, test results or scan results and what was discussed in previous consultations.